Dystopian desert YA book with a boy whose mom is turned into a weird flaky skinned creature

[Kalika]

From what I can remember, it is about a boy who's mother either gets taken away or gets "sick" and turned into some kind of monster or creature who has a colony not far from the human colony and the creatures have super flaky and crackly skin that falls off easily. The humans are separated from the creatures by a desert. The main character plays some sport similar to hockey, soccer, or lacrosse (can't remember) with other kids his age and the ball they use is made out of dead skin from the creatures. The main character ends up somehow in the colony of other creatures to find his mom and has to hide from them because they are hostile toward humans. I'm pretty sure this book was made in the 90's-2000's and possibly is preceded or continued with a comic book and is based in possibly a dystopian future.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Kalika, are you still looking for this or did you find it?